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What all the above vowels have in common is that their articulations do not involve any audible obstruction of the air-stream. According to Giegerich 1992:
13, differences between the vowels are brought about by the raising of different parts of the tongue as well as by the differences in the extent of the raising. The
difference between [i] and [u], for instance, is one of backness: [i] is a front vowel, [u] is a back vowel. Front vowels are produced with the front of the tongue raised,
back vowels with the back of the tongue raised. What the vowels [ɑ] and [ɑ:] have in common is that they are produced with
a maximally open mouth, therefore with a maximal distance between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. This is a difference in height. Thus, [i] and [u]
are high vowels and [ɑ] and [ɑ:] are low vowels. The four vowel sounds represent the extreme points of the principal dimensions of vowel articulation: height and
backness. Thus, [i] is a high front vowel, [u] is a high back vowel, [ɑ] is a low front vowel and [ɑ:] is a low back vowel Giegerich, 1992: 14. Within the [i]-[ɑ]
scale, there is [e] along with its counterpart. In the back series, there is [ɔ] along with its counterpart within the [u]-[ɑ] scale. In the middle of the vowel chart,
within the [e]-[ɔ] scale, there is the schwa [ə]. In addition, vowels made with an open mouth cavity, with the tongue far away from the roof of the mouth as in the
word ka k
h
ɑ ‘eat’ are termed open vowels. If the upper tongue surface is close to the roof of the mouth such as [i] in mi [mi:] ‘sweet’, the sounds are close vowels.
To show differences among vowels, apart from ‘tongue height and tongue backness’, Nataia also depends on other possibilities such as ‘lip-rounding,
lengthening, and laxtense’. Lip rounding in the Nataia, for instance, is clearly detected in the pronunciation of a vowel sequence. The sound [w] can be inserted
52
between the sequence when the first vowel is rounded [ᴐ,u] and the second vowel is [ɑ,i,u,e,o]. In the pronunciations of the words koa ‘howl’ of a dog and the
word bhua ‘show up’, for instance, [w] is inserted . Thus, each of the words is pronounced as k
h
ᴐwa and ßuwa respectively. On the other hand, [y] is inserted when the first vowel is unrounded [a,i,e]. In the pronunciation of the words bhia
‘disagree’ and bao ‘shadow’ of a tree, for instance, [y] is inserted. Thus, each word is pronounced as ßiya and bayo respectively. Additionally, the Nataia
seems to make a distinction between vowels that are characterized as tenselax. As a general rule, lax vowels tend to be shorter. Thus, the contrast between [i:] as in
pai ‘ask for’ and [ɪ] as in pa’i ‘stay up’ seems to be that of tense lax. From the descriptions above, one may rightly infer that altogether the Nataia has 11 vowels
in its inventory. Five of them are short vowels, each having its long counterpart, plus schwa [ə]. The whole configuration of the Nataia vowels is tentatively
displayed in the following chart.
Figure 4.1 Nataia Vowel Chart
Adapted from Djawanai, 1983 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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4.1.2 Nataia Consonant Phonemes
Cooperation between the Oko Utu text and the present writer’s lexicon as a native speaker of Nataia has resulted in a complete identification of the consonant
phonemes of the local language. The complete inventory of Nataia consonant phonemes includes: z, s, t, d, b, p, f, v, k, g, ğ ,m,n, ŋ, l, r, ř,
ß, ɗ, ɣ, h, and j. The present writer succeeded in tracking down every one of the consonant phonemes by way of a commutation test a minimal pair test
and a minimal set test. However, several phonemes such as h, ğ, ɣ, ɗ, ß which do not have pairs for a commutation test are treated individually.
Table 4.4 Commutation Tests of Consonant Phonemes
Consonants Word
Meaning
z zio
bathe s
sio urinate
z zua
two s
sua open to cool down
t toa
cut down branches d
doa twinfriend
t tua
a kind of palm tree d
dua go downgo back home
b bua
pubic hair p
pua prod at of fruit
b bia
a kind of air root p
pia massage
f fua
wasp v
vua load
f fai
wife v
vai made of
k kuza
shrimp g
guza light brown
k koe
dig g
goe caress
m meka
old man n
neka fine
ŋ ngeka
lane m
moka young female animal
n noka
‘unwillingly give away’ ŋ
ngoka catch fishshrimp by hands
l leza
sun r
reza creep
l loza
live in the wild world
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I t is i m p o r t a n t to note that t h e phonetic symbols used to represent the consonant sounds of Nataia are taken from two reliable sources,
namely the International Phonetic Alphabet IPA and Djawanai’s ‘Ngadha Text Tradition: The Collective Mind of the Ngadha People, Flores, which may have
also taken from IPA. The symbols from IPA include: [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], [f], [v], [m], [n], [ŋ], [h], [j], [r], [l] and from Djawanai’s include: [ß],[ɗ], [ɣ], [ř], [ğ].
Though once in a while they differ in the use of phonetic symbols, phoneticians have generally agreed on how to make a description of consonants.
In order to form consonants, Collins and Mees 2003: 40 explain, the air-stream through the vocal tract must be obstructed in some way. Consonants can,
therefore, be classified according to their place and manner of articulation. Places of articulation indicate what articulators are involved in the productions of speech
sounds .
4.1.2.1 Places of Articulation
According to Giegerich 2003: 9, places of articulation refer to what articulators are involved in the production of speech sounds i.e., lips, tongue,
palate, velum, glottis, nose, etc.
r roza
extravagant ß
bhoi remove by force
ɗ dhoi
Shoulder ß
bheo deny
ɗ dheo
bring ɣ
ghewa quick
h heo
hoarse ř
rhui meat
j joa
’a let up of rain
ğ ‘geo
shine
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4.1.2.1.1 Bilabial
Bilabial sounds of Nataia which include b,p,m,ß are produced by putting the upper and lower lips together. These sounds are heard in words such as:
Table 4.5 Bilabial Sounds
4.1.2.1.2 Labiodental
Labiodental sounds of Nataia i.e., f, v are produced by touching the lower lip to the upper teeth or incisors. In the Nataia, these two sounds are heard in
words such as:
Table 4.6 Labiodental Sounds
4.1.2.1.3 Dental
Dental sound of Nataia i.e., d is produced by the tip or blade of the tongue touching the front teeth. The sound is heard in words such as:
Table 4.7 Dental Sounds Bilabial Sounds
Distribution Examples
Meaning
b initial
banabana walk
medial kubak
h
uba mouth
p initial
pu’up
h
u’u sincefrom
medial zapazap
h
a try
m initial
mesuməsu mercy
medial demudemu
they ß
initial bhadaßada
buffalo medial
tebha təßa spank
Labiodental Sounds
Distribution Examples
Meaning
f initial
faifayi wife
medial tefa t
h
əfa spit
v
initial vuavua
load medial
kevak
h
eva a kind of tuber
Dental Sounds Distribution
Examples Meaning
d initial
demudemu they
medial tadut
h
adu horn
initial date dat
h
e heavy
medial node nɔde
play PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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4.1.2.1.4 Alveolar
Alveolar sounds n, t, z, s, ř, l are produced by the tip of the tongue or the blade touching the alveolar ridge. Such sounds are heard in words such as:
Table 4.8 Alveolar Sounds
4.1.2.1.5 Alveo-palatal
The sound [ǰ] is produced by the tongue blade touching the back of the alveolar ridge. In the Nataia, the sound [ǰ] is heard in words such as:
Table 4.9 Alveo-palatal Sounds
4.1.2.1.6 Retroflex
The retroflex sound ɗ is produced by the tip of the tongue touching the back of the alveolar ridge Djawanai, 1983: 113. The sound ɗ in the Nataia is heard in
words such as:
Alveolar Sounds Distribution
Examples Meaning
n initial
negha neɣa already
medial tena
t
h
ena let
t initial
tei t
h
eyi see
medial ate
at
h
e liver
z initial
zili zili
down there medial
azi azi
younger brother sister
s initial
sama sama
similar medial
esa əsa
one ř
initial only rhoba řoba
sarong medial
-- --
l initial
leza leza
sun noon medial
zale zale
down below
Alveo-palatal consonant
Distribution Examples
Meaning
j initial
jo’a ǰo’a
let up of rain medial
kajo k
h
aǰo ancestor
initial jodho
jɔɗɔ praise
medial eja
eǰa brother- in- law
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Table 4.10 Retroflex Sounds
4.1.2.1.7 Velar
Velar sounds [ŋ], [g], [ğ], [k], [ɣ] are produced by raising the back of the tongue to touch the velum or the soft palate Djawanai, 1983: 114. In the Nataia,
such sounds are heard in words such as:
Table 4.11 Velar Sounds
4.1.2.1.8 Glottal Stop
Glottal sound ‘ is produced when the vocal cords and the arytenoids are close together so that the airstream coming from the lungs is momentarily stopped.
On the release of the glottal closure, the blocked air rushes out with an effect rather like a cough, or the noise one makes when lifting a heavy weight Collins
and Mees, 2003: 29 In the Nataia, such sounds are heard in words such as:
Retroflex Sounds Distribution
Examples Meaning
ɗ initial
dheo ɗeyo bring
medial modhe
moɗe fat initial
dhoko ɗɔk
h
o take away medial
gedho gəɗɔ
go out
Velar Sounds Distribution
Examples Meaning
ŋ initial
ngao ŋao I
medial engaeŋa
call g
initial goa goa
just medial
rege rəge many much
k initial
kai k
h
ayi leave
medial uku uk
h
u like
ɣ initial
ghewo ɣevo forget
medial negha neɣa
already ğ
only initial ‘geo ğeo
shine ‘goeğoe
negation ‘goa ‘geleğoa ğəle sing
